This month will be devoted to a skill the Ravnos possess, animalism.
On the Importance of Animalism in Combat
Animalism has quickly become the combat discipline of choice for
many reasons. It has a low cost to effect ratio since most animalism
combat cards are free. Some animalism cards debilitate certain deck
strategies such as Drawing out the Beast (DotB) vs. ANY weapon based
or long ranged combat strategy like ranged Assamites for example. The
combinations are seemingly endless when augmenting your combat with
other disciplines.
A fair number of midsize Ravnos have superior animalism, making
them formidable combat opponents. Add fortitude and chimerstry and
you have an almost unbeatable combination of skills with which to
combat. The main ones are:
Konstantin, Baro of the Caravan - RAV 9 ANI CHI FOR dom cel - (D)+1
stealth: Steal equipment from another minion
Natalia - RAV 7 ANI chi for dom - +1 bleed
Joaquina Amaya - RAV 6 ANI CHI FOR - +1 stealth when equipping
Sarisha Veliku - RAV 6 FOR ANI chi dom
Vaclav Petalengro - RAV 6 ANI CHI for pot - +1 intercept vs. GAN
Card Combinations - honestly one could lay down just about any
combination of animalism "before range" cards and it would still leave
it's opponent with a bad taste in their mouth. Here are a few key
ones. .
1) Carrion Crows + Aid From Bats - optional (Terror Frenzy + DotB)
Even if the opposing minion can dodge you're guaranteed to press,
(DotB) does a total of 4 damage each round at superior and it's all
free and very tasteable. Terry Frenzy if you know the opposing minion
has a maneuver. I once saw Navar at superior animalism take out
Dragos in this manner.
2) Drawing out the Beast + Blessing of Durga Syn - Without the use of
their equipment the opposing minion is likely to attempt a hand
strike. (Usually for 2 in retaliation for the DotB) So why not steal
some equipment with the Blessing and prevent the damage, while you're
at it with the plethora of Fortitude cards at your disposal? Or just
be old fashioned, prevent his punch for 2 with an Apparition and
continue the combat till he can't take the beats from his own Meat
Cleaver no more.
3) Conquer the Beast + Apparition + Song of Serenity (+ DotB + Carrion
Crows) - This animalism trap works well with DotB (have I mentioned
DotB yet?) because they have 1 hand and you're preventing up to 2 a
round. They can't press to end. Someone's going to torpor. If you
happen to be going to torpor a little sooner than expected, pack an
Undead Persistence or 2 to make sure you take the other vampire with
you.
4) Dawn Operation + Drawing out the Beast + Skin of Night - This isn't
really even a combat combo but it's too sick to leave out. This combo
works almost every time in it's incarnations (Dawn Op + Weather
Control) by inflicting unpreventable aggravated damage on the opposing
minion. The skin of night isn't even completely necessary. A few
cards in the game will save you - Skin of Night, Heart of Darkness and
the Fire Dance. For the Ravnos their only choice is Skin of Night.
In order to beef up your damage per round meter, make a few blood
investments in some retainers, like the Wolf Companion and Murder of
Crows. If you do so decide to make more animal friends to beef up
your combat prowess, befriend perhaps your most important retainer,
the Owl Companion. This allows you to see your opponent's hand while
in combat. Nothing and I mean nothing ruins a potentially devastating
combat like an unforeseen majesty.
Until next month,
Dave Stevers